CPHI & PMEC India 2025 Begin, Highlighting Pharma Growth In Noida

The 18th edition of CPHI & PMEC India, organised by Informa Markets in India, commenced at the India Expo Centre, Greater Noida, Delhi-NCR, showcasing the robust potential of India's pharmaceutical industry. Bringing together over 2,000 exhibitors and 50,000 visitors from more than 120 countries, including China, Italy, Germany, Switzerland, and South Korea, the expo served as a dynamic hub for innovation and collaboration. Spanning pharma machinery, packaging, analytical instruments, lab & analytical equipment, cleanroom technology, laboratory technologies, ingredients, and beyond, it offers a comprehensive platform for stakeholders to engage in transformative dialogues and foster strategic partnerships.

From 2026 onward, CPHI and PMEC India will transition into two specialised shows across two locations on consecutive days, a decision shaped by extensive stakeholder feedback. This shift is designed to give each platform the space, focus, and depth it deserves: CPHI at Dwarka will offer a more premium, content-driven environment, while PMEC at IEML will address scale requirements and provide an optimised experience for machinery and technology exhibitors.

In the current edition, the grand inauguration was graced by an esteemed lineup of industry leaders, policymakers, and global representatives. The distinguished guests included Mr. K. Raja Bhanu, Director General, Pharmexcil; Dr. R Chandrashekar, Joint Drugs Controller, CDSCO;  Mr. Harish K Jain, President, FOPE; Mr. Namit Joshi, Chairman, Pharmexcil; Mr. Kaushik Desai, Secretary General, IPEC India and HADSA; Mr. Rakesh Kumar, Chairman, India Expo Mart Limited (IEML); Mr. Satyaprakash TL, Joint Secretary, Department of Pharmaceuticals, Govt of India; Dr. Jitendra Kumar, Managing Director, BIRAC, Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Government of India; Sri Ch A P Rameswara Rao, National President, BDMAI; Mr. Anil Matai, Director General, OPPI; Mr. Sudarshan Jain, Secretary-General, Indian Pharmaceutical Alliance; and Mr. AVPS Chakravarthi, Ambassador, WPO; Mr. Yogesh Mudras, Managing Director, Informa Markets in India; Mr. Rahul Deshpande, Sr. Group Director, Informa Markets in India; and Mr. Orhan Caglayan, Executive Vice President – Pharma, Informa Markets B.V; who did the honours, amidst an august industry presence.

Speaking at the event Mr. Namit Joshi, Chairman, Pharmaceuticals Export Promotion Council of India (Pharmexcil), said, "The global pharmaceutical landscape is shifting rapidly, and India must evolve beyond its traditional generics mindset to remain the pharmacy of the world. The future lies in value-driven innovation—advancing capabilities in peptides, complex generics, biosimilars, biologics, targeted drug delivery systems, and cell and gene therapies. Breakthrough classes such as GLP-1 inhibitors are redefining global health outcomes, and Indian manufacturers are already preparing to enter these high-value segments as patents expire. While building scale in these advanced areas will take the next five to six years, many Indian companies have already taken strong steps forward. What the industry now needs is broader thinking, cross-domain insights, and a more innovation-led approach to strengthen India's role in shaping the next era of global healthcare."

Dr. R Chandrashekar Joint Drugs Controller, The Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO), said "India's pharmaceutical sector is rapidly shifting from a generics-led foundation to an innovation-driven ecosystem, with growing emphasis on biosimilars, peptides, complex generics, and next-generation biologics. This transition is being accelerated by government and CDSCO reforms such as streamlined approvals, reduced regulatory layers, decriminalisation of non-serious offences, and the recommendation of R&D projects worth ₹5,000 crore. The newly launched Hospital Finance scheme of ₹1,00,000 crore further strengthens the country's R&D landscape. With these measures, India is well-positioned to evolve from being the pharmacy of the world to an innovation-led pharma nation over the next five years."

Mr. Anil Matai, Director General, Organisation of Pharmaceutical Producers of India (OPPI), said "After firmly establishing itself as the 'Pharmacy to the World,' the country is now transitioning toward becoming a true pharma powerhouse. This shift is supported by enabling regulations, improved processes, and a growing emphasis on innovation, stronger intellectual property protection, and the elimination of patent infringements. These reforms reflect the government's broader vision to 'discover in India, innovate in India, and innovate for the world,' and the first steps toward that future are already visible. The next five years will look very different from the last, driven by greater investment in innovation and a deeper commitment to patient-centricity. While isolated quality lapses have occurred, the industry remains focused on strengthening safeguards to ensure such incidents do not recur, protecting both patient trust and India's global reputation."

Mr. Harish K Jain, President, Federation of Pharma Entrepreneurs (FOPE), said "India's pharma industry is undergoing a major shift from a purely generics-driven model to one rooted in 'Navachar and Anusandhan'—innovation and research. While the sector includes some of the country's largest companies, a significant portion comprises MSMEs, and they are equally part of this transformation. Many MSME members are showcasing their new technologies and innovative products at this exhibition, demonstrating how actively they are contributing to India's evolving pharma landscape. Over the years, several MSMEs that once started small at CPHI have grown to export to more than 100 countries. This progress reflects the changing direction of the country and the growing strength of India's innovation-led pharmaceutical ecosystem."

Mr. Kaushik Desai, Secretary General, International Pharmaceutical Excipients Council of India (IPEC) and HADSA, said "The event serves as a primary gateway for international visitors and exporters to explore India's full spectrum of innovation from materials and services to advanced machinery and a strong excipient ecosystem that alone represents a USD 1 billion industry. India's pharmaceutical sector currently a USD 30 billion export market with a similar domestic size has the potential to scale to USD 130 billion by 2030 and reach USD 450 billion by 2047. To achieve this, government policies must keep pace with global developments, especially in innovation. While new initiatives like PRPI are welcome, stronger monitoring and accountability across stakeholders are essential to ensure real outcomes. Only then can India fully realise its growth potential rather than merely talk about it."

Mr. Sudish Sukumaran, Emach Packages, said "India's pharmaceutical packaging machinery industry is expanding steadily, driven by a balanced mix of domestic demand and exports each contributing significantly to the country's USD 25 billion pharma export market. For over 35 years, we have seen consistent growth in oral solid packaging, with India now emerging as a key global hub. As one of the world's largest manufacturers of blister packaging machines outside of China, we produce around 225–250 machines annually, nearly a quarter of the global market of about 1,000 machines. About 70% of our volumes cater to India, while 30% are exported, supported by our expanded footprint in the U.S. and Europe through strategic acquisitions.

The market is now being reshaped by rising demand in chronic therapies, lifestyle diseases, nutraceuticals, and specialized segments like oncology, which require high-containment and precision equipment. Categories such as anti-cancer packaging have grown nearly five-fold in the last three years. As patient volumes rise and health awareness increases, the need for advanced, high-efficiency, and compliant packaging machinery will continue to surge. Our industry is growing at 16–20% annually, reflecting broader sectoral momentum."

Dr. Sridevi Khambhampaty, CEO, Shilpa Biologicals, said “Biologics is entering an exciting phase with Europe and the US easing biosimilar regulations, including waivers for Phase 3 trials. This is lowering entry barriers for Indian players and accelerating biosimilar development. Additionally, the biologics industry in India has matured over the last decade and is now ready to step into innovative biologics. At Shilpa Biologicals, we are advancing partnerships in Switzerland and the US to bring novel biologics to market, while strengthening our biosimilars portfolio. We hope to grow our biosimilars portfolio significantly to bring more than 6 products in the next 4 years. While competition exists, biopharma remains a niche space with only a handful of capable players given the investment and talent required.”

Highlighting the significance of this year's CPHI & PMEC India Expo, Mr. Yogesh Mudras, Managing Director, Informa Markets in India, said, "India's pharmaceutical sector has achieved remarkable growth, with exports doubling to USD 30 billion and nearly half of global life sciences leaders establishing operations here. We're witnessing a powerful transformation as India strengthens its footprint across traditional generics, complex formulations, biologics, and advanced therapies. This year's strong international participation at CPHI & P-MEC India demonstrates global confidence in India's innovation capabilities. Having reached the pinnacle of success with the show, our strategy of organising separate CPHI and PMEC formats in India will deliver even more focused and impactful conversations, targeting, and more meaningful business journeys."

The event featured participation from leading companies such as Dr. Reddy's Laboratories Ltd., Hetero Labs, Oceanic Pharmachem, Akums Drugs & Pharmaceuticals, Morepen Laboratories, MSN Laboratories, Capsugel Healthcare, Biocon, and Jubilant Ingrevia. On the machinery side, PMEC India featured top players including ACG Pam Pharma Technologies, Cadmach Machinery, Ace Technologies & Packaging Systems, Parle Global Technologies, Klenzaids Contamination Controls, Gansons, Elmach Packages, Shimadzu India, and Snowbell Machines.

 This year, the expo garnered strong support from key industry associations such as Pharmexcil, International Pharmaceutical Excipients Council (IPEC) India, Bulk Drug Manufacturers Association of India (BDMAI), and Organisation of Pharmaceutical Producers of India (OPPI), Federation of Pharma Entrepreneurs (FOPE) and The Indian Pharmaceutical Association (IPA) along with participation from regulatory authorities and policymakers.